Brendan Rodgers: Winning is our aim | OneFootball

The first game of 2025 is almost upon us with the Celts set to travel to Ibrox on Thursday as the New Year kicks off with an away derby.

Brendan Rodgers takes his side over the Clyde with a 14-point gap and a very impressive win rate over Rangers for the Irish manager.

He said: “It’s the next game. It means a lot to the players, they know how to win in this game, and between them, myself and the staff, we want to win the game and we’re very committed to doing that, to put the performance in that we’re always looking for and, ultimately for the result.

“They are always special games. I never get tired of them, I treat them all like it’s my first one.

“We play a pressure game, we play a pressing game and a passing game, and that’s what we want to deliver.

“It’s a great game for us to start off the year with, so we’re excited about it and obviously 2024, in terms of what we achieved over the course of the season, was really impressive and we want to continue with that.

“And this game will then mark the halfway point in the season, and until this point, the players’ skill, their discipline and their teamwork has been outstanding.

“So, we just want to continue in that mentality.”

He added: “I’ve got players who know what this game means, they know what it takes to win, and they like I am, are committed to delivering that.

“So when you have that, of course you don’t relax any more, but I trust this group, we’ve been together long enough now after those early teething problems we had last season, and we see that consistency now.

“So, of course, I go into every game now with that feeling, but there’s always pressure there, but pressure is what this club is all about.

“You can never look for an easy game, you know you have to perform well because it’s not just about winning, it’s about performing, and these games give you a wonderful opportunity to do that.”

The will and desire to win every single game has been the driving force of this Brendan Rodgers team, and the manager paid tribute to the work that goes on at Lennoxtown on non-matchdays.

He said: “People will talk about the culture and how do you achieve that. But that’s every day of your life. That’s step by step, climbing together and all the details because you first win on the training ground.

“Before you even start on the field, on a matchday, you win on the training field with the work that you do, all the analysis that you do, the coaching that you do, the preparation, the chefs – everything – this is where you win first.

“And then that mind-set and that culture grows and develops from there.

“So we always stay in a humble way to prepare for games. People will look at the gap, but that doesn’t even come into it.

“We cannot soften up and we will not soften up, we perform for the next game because we know how much this means to people.

“The gap really doesn’t come into it I have to say. I went there last season for the first game under pressure and now go there 14 points ahead but there’s no change for us.

“The mentality is to go and perform and look to play our game, and that pressure will always be there, especially at a game at Ibrox with no supporters, but that makes it even better

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Fixtures

Rangers Vs. Celtic - Thu, Jan 2nd 2025, 15:00